Fluid coupling



March 7, 1944. y c. l.. MAR'TIN 2,343,786

FLUID COUPLING Filed July 1s, 194i s sheets-sheet 2 March 7, c;` 1MAR-HN FLUID COUPLING Filed July 18, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVINTORPatented Marr?, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID COUPLING charlesL. Martin, st. Louis, M0. Application July 18, 1941, Serial No. 402,937

(Cl. Gil-54) 8 Claims.y

' This invention relates to fluid couplings or clutches for transmittingpower from a driving shaft to an axially aligned driven shaft, and moreparticularly to a means for transferring uid to and from the coupling torender the coupling operative and inoperative.

Fluid couplings are well known and generally include a driving shaft anda driven shaft on the ends of which are secured wheels which haveopposing vanes, blades or passages, and a fluid. tight case or shellsecured to one wheel and encasing the other wheel.

To render the coupling operative or inoperative for power or clutchingpurposes, it is common practice to deliver liquid to or withdraw liquidfrom the coupling by means of remote pumping mechanism.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the rotatable shell taken substantially online 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the impeller wheel taken substantially online 4-4 in Fig. 2.

The application of a fluid coupling on a motor vehicle necessitates theuse of a clutch to facilitate changing from one gear ratio to anotherwhere no provision is made for Varying the quantity of fluid in thecoupling.

This invention contemplates a new and simplified combination of elementsadapted to expedite thefllling and emptying of the Vuid coupling withoutthe use of a remote pumping mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide means for filling and emptyingthe coupling with such rapidity as to be desirable for use on a motorvehicle without additional clutch mechanism.

Another object is to provide means for emptying the coupling andstopping the driven shaft when the vehicle motor is idling.

Another object is to provide forv rapidly filling the coupling when'thedriving shaft is accelerated.

Another object is to provide a constant atmospheric vent to the interiorof the coupling.

A further object is to lprovide a stationary reservoir in closeassociation with the rotating elements of the coupling.

A further object is to provide a stationary reservoir in opencommunication with the coubustion engine including an embodiment of the'invention Fig. 21s a sectional view of the fluid coupling.

Fig. 5 is-an end elevationof the brake mechanism taken substantially online 5-5 in Fig. 2. Numeral I indicates an internal combustion enginehaving an intake manifold 2 on which is mounted a carburetorii forsupplying a combustible mixture to the engine. Throttle valve 4 locatedin the outlet portion of carburetor 3 is manually actuated through theaccelerator pedal 5 intermediate linkage 6 and throttle arm 1.

Fluid coupling housing 8 surrounds the fluid coupling which ispositioned between the engine I and the conventional gear transmissionindicated at 9.

The fluid coupling and its associated elements can best be understood byreferring to Figure 2 in which an impeller wheel I5 is secured to theend of engine crank shaft I6, and a yturbine wheel I'I is secured to theencl of a driven shaft I8. Wheels I5 and I1 are provided with series ofopposing vanes 20 andv 2I, respectively, and are so juxtaposed that theimpelling liquid effects the rotation of the turbine wheel Il inresponse and the interior of the shell extension 2l which surrounds aportion of shaft I8 and the fluid seal 28 prevents fluid from shellextension 2l entering thecoupling along the shaft I8.

A stationary fluid reservoir 30 supported on 'l shellextension 21 at 3land on shaft I8 at 32 is in open communication with the interior ofextension 2l through the openings 33. Reservoir 30 is provided with anatmospheric vent indicated An atmospheric vent for the coupling isnecessary and is providedby the longitudinal duct in shaft I8, crossduct 36 and a stationary conduit 3l in fluid reservoir 30.

For transferring fluid from the coupling to the reservoir and from thereservoir to the coupling a series of vanes are provided in wheel I5opposite the ends of conduits 23 and brake elements 4I are provided forfrictionally engaging thev brake drum 42 protruding from shell 23 forretarding or stopping the rotation of the shell.

Assuming that the brake elements 4I are disen -gaged and engine I isrotating crankshaft I6,

impeller wheel I5 will, therefore, rotate turbine wheel I1 and shaft I8and the vanes 40 opposing the ends of conduits 26 plus the skin frictionof the fluid between the wheels and the shell ill cause the shell torotate.

Upon application of the brake elements 4I, shell 23y ceases to rotateand takes on the function of the housing of a centrifugal pump and fluidin the coupling will be expelled through the conduits 2B to thereservoir 30 thereby severing all fluid communication between theimpeller vanes and the turbine wheel vanes 2l and the fluid will beretained in the reservoir and shell extension 21 as well as in conduits26 because of the pressure head in the reservoir. When the brakeelements 4I are disengaged, impeller Wheel I5 causes shell 23 to rotateand the shell then takes on the function of an impeller of a centrifugalpump and causes the fluid to flow from reservoir 30 to the couplinguntil the coupling 'iS filled.

By this novel arrangement, the fluid coupling may be very rapidlyemptied and filled without the use of remote pumping mechanism therebyfacilitating its use in conjunction with a motor vehicle.

Eliminating the use of a frictional clutch for' changing gears may beaccomplished in a manner illustrated in Figs. l and 5. Conduit 50communicating with the carburetor 3 at a point posterior to the throttlevalve 4 leads to a suction actuated device 45 for causing brake elements4I to apply pressure on brake drum 42. The`suction device 45 includes acollapsible chamber 5I for actuating a brake lever 52 which, in turn,through toggle arrangement 53 causes brake elements 4I to frictionallyengage brake drum 42 when the throttle vlave 4 is in closed position. Avalve 54 interposed in conduit 50 is operated manually through aflexible cable 55 attached to the valve arm 56.

The suction device is so designed as to be operated only when a veryhigh suction is reached as when the throttle valve is substantiallyclosed and with the use of valve 54 the suction device is only operativewhen throttle valve 4 is closed and valve 54 is opened.

There is a time when it is necessary that the brake elements 4I beengaged when the throttle valve 4 and valve 54 are both in closedposition, such as when the vehicle is not in motion and the engine isidling. This is accomplished by providing a by-pass conduit 59 aroundvalve 54 free to rotate when the throttle valve is opened.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown anddescribed and pointed out in the annexed claims, other modifications mayappear to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all suchmodifications as come within the scope of the appended claims iscontemplated.

in which a valve 60 is interposed and operated in response to the speedof driven shaft I8. The

' valve 6G is actuated by means of a governor device which is well knownin the art and indicated at 6I on a. shaft 82. The governor is driven byshaft I8 through the medium of pulley 64, belt B5 and pulley G6, and isso designed as to be operative at a very low shaft speed.

The air turbulence set up in the coupling when the coupling is emptiedof fluid and the gear transmission is in neutral tends to rotate shaftI8. The brake device vI9 on shaft I8 comprises a drum 'I3 and brakeelements 'II actuated by a suction device (not shown) but similar tosuction device 45 and supplied through conduit I4 leading from theby-pass conduit 59. By this arrangement shaft I8 is forcibly arrestedagainst rotation to facilitate engaging the gears and is I claim:

1. In a fluid coupling. a driving shaft, an impeller wheel secured tosaid driving shaft, a driven shaft, a turbine wheel secured to saiddriven shaft and cooperating with said impeller wheel to form a workingchamber, a freely rotatable shell enclosing said wheels, means forbraking said shell, a fluid reservoir, and passageways carried by saidshell for conducting fluid from the periphery of said Wheels to saidreservoir when said shell is braked, said passageways being constructedand arranged to conduct fluid from said reservoir to said wheels whensaid shell is free to rotate 4and constituting the sole connectionbetween said working chamber and said reservoir.

2. In a fluid coupling, a driving shaft, an impeller wheelsecured tosaid driving shaft, a driven shaft, a turbine wheel secured to saiddriven shaft, said wheels having opposing vanes, a rotatable shellenclosing said wheels, a stationary fluid reservoir, conduits carried bysaid shell each with one end in communication with said reservoir, theother ends of said conduits opening into the interior of said shell, andvane portions on said impeller wheel opposing the conduit openings insaid shell.

3. In a fluid coupling, a driving shaft, an impeller Wheel secured tosaid driving shaft, a driven shaft, a turbine wheel secured to saiddriven shaft, said .wheels having opposing vane structure, a freelyrotatable shell enclosing said wheels, a fluid reservoir in opencommunication with the interior of said shell, brake means forcontrolling the rotation of said shell, and means for initiating therotation of said shell when the brake is released comprising conduitscarried by y. said shell having openings opposing the peripheral portionof the vane structure on said impeller wheel, said conduits beingconstructed and arranged to empty said shell of fluid when the rotationof said shell is braked and to fill said shell when said shell is freeto rotate.

4. In a fluid coupling, a driving shaft. a vaned impeller wheel securedto said driving shaft, a driven shaft, a turbine wheel secured to saiddriven shaft, a freely rotatable shell enclosing s aid wheels, a fluidreservoir in open communication with the interior of said shell, brakemeans for controlling the rotation of said shell, means for initiatingrotation of said shell when the brake is released comprising conduitscarried by said shell having openings opposing the vanes of saidimpeller wheel, said conduits being constructed and arranged to emptysaid shell of fluid when the rotation of said shell is braked and tofill said shell when said shell is free to rotate, and means forconstantly venting said reservoir and the interior of said shell to theat mosphere.

vane structure, said reservoir and said conduitv means being arranged sothat liquid is maintained in engagement with said protruding vanestructure even when said casing is braked and said impeller wheel isrotating, s o that upon release of said casing, the energy imparted tothe liquid in said conduit means by said vane structure will causerotation of said casing.

'7. In. a liquid coupling, opposing impeller and turbine wheels forminga working chamber therebetween, vanes onsaid impeller wheel protrudingradially beyond said turbine wheel, a rotatable casing receiving saidwheels, a brake for said casing, a reservoir, and vane structure on theinner wall of said casing forming conduit means for connecting saidreservoir and said protruding vanes, said reservoirand said conduitmeans being located above the lower portion of said wheels so as tomaintain liquid in engagement with the lowermost of said protrudingvanes, even when said working chamber is evacuated during operation bybraking of said casing, whereby upon releaseof said casing, said casingwill be rotated by energy transmitted from said protruding vanes throughthe liquid in said conduit means. l

8. In a. liquid coupling, impeller and turbine wheels forming a workingchamber therebetween, vane structure on said impeller wheel protrudingradially beyond said turbine wheel, a rotatable casing enclosing saidwheels, means to brake said casing, and a reservoir communicating withsaid casing and arranged to maintain liquid in said casing in contactwith said protruding vane structure, even when saidworking chamber isevacuated, so that energy imparted to the liquid by said vane structurewill cause rotation of said casing, when released, and consequent returnof liquid into said working chamber.

CHARLES L. MARTIN.

